Dora Extols China-Zambia Relations
The Minister of Information Dora Siliya has taken advantage of her attendance of the Fourth China-Africa Media Cooperation to extol relations between the two countries.
Siliya cited the upgrading of the Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital and the multi facility conference centre to help Zambia host the 2022 African Union Summit.
The Chief Government spokesperson also hailed the grand infrastructural support rendered to Zambia that had seen it get two multi-million dollar stadia in Levy Mwanawasa and National Heroes.
Siliya is in the company of Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda at the summit.
Below is the speech made by the Minister in China:
REMARKS BY HON. DORA SILIYA, MP, MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING AND CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON SERVICES AT THE 4TH FORUM ON CHINA-AFRICA MEDIA COOPERATION, 25TH TO 27TH JUNE, 2018, BEIJING, CHINA
CHAIRPERSON
HEADS OF GOVERNMENT DELEGATIONS
DISTINGUISHED INVITED GUESTS
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THANK YOU, CHAIRPERSON, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THIS HIGH LEVEL GATHERING.
I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF CHINA ON THE SUCCESSFUL HOSTING OF THE 4TH FORUM ON CHINA-AFRICA MEDIA COOPERATION UNDER THE THEME: ‘EXCHANGE ON CHINA AFRICA MEDIA POLICIES’.
MY DELEGATION AND I ALSO OFFER OUR DEEP-FELT GRATITUDE TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT FOR THE WARM HOSPITALITY EXTENDED TO US SINCE OUR ARRIVAL IN THIS GREAT CITY.
I NOTE WITH APPRECIATION THAT THE FORUM HAS BROUGHT TOGETHER HIGH PROFILE AFRICAN AND CHINESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, CAPTAINS OF THE MEDIA INDUSTRY AND OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS.
THIS IS COMMENDABLE AS IT PROVIDES A FERTILE OPPORTUNITY TO DEEPEN COOPERATION BETWEEN CHINA AND AFRICA IN OUR COLLECTIVE DESIRE AND DETERMINATION TO CREATING AN INFORMED AND KNOWLEDGE-BASED SOCIETY.
CHAIRPERSON, DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
ZAMBIA ALSO SEES THE ROLE OF THE CHINA-AFRICA MEDIA COOPERATION AS CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT IN FACILITATING TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FROM CHINA TO AFRICA.
THIS HAS BECOME EVEN MORE URGENT WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS INTERNET AND DIGITAL TELEVISION BROADCASTING, IN WHICH CHINA IS WAY AHEAD.
CHAIRPERSON, DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
ZAMBIA AND CHINA HAVE BEEN ALL WEATHER FRIENDS SINCE THE TWO COUNTRIES ESTABLISHED DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WAY BACK IN 1964 UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF OUR FOUNDING FATHERS CHAIRMAN MAO AND DR. KENNETH DAVID KAUNDA RESPECTIVELY.
THIS HISTORICAL RELATIONSHIP HAS CONTINUED TO FLOURISH AT MULTI-SECTORAL LEVEL AND IS ANCHORED ON A NUMBER OF AGREEMENTS WHICH THE TWO COUNTRIES CONTINUE TO SIGN, KEY AMONG THEM BEING:
- THE EXPANSION OF THE LEVY MWANAWASA GENERAL HOSPITAL AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTER TO HOST THE AU SUMMIT IN 2022;
- THE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN CHINESE AND ZAMBIAN COMPANIES IN OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, SUCH AS ROADS, RAILWAYS, PORTS, POWER GENERATION, AIRPORTS AND HOUSING;
- THE CONSTRUCTION OF COMMUNICATION TOWERS (PHASE TWO)
- THE CO-OPERATION AND EXCHANGES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FIELDS CLOSELY RELATED TO THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF BOTH COUNTRIES;
- MEDIA TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING
CHAIRPERSON, DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
CHINA’S EMPHASIS ON COOPERATION RATHER THAN COERCION, HAS GENERATED FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS FOR ITS RELATIONS WITH MANY AFRICAN COUNTRIES TO FLOURISH.
IN THIS REGARD, ZAMBIA, LIKE OTHER FELLOW AFRICAN COUNTRIES HERE, CHERISHES THE EXCELLENT AND LONGSTANDING RELATIONS WITH THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.
CHAIRPERSON, DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
CHINA HAS BEEN ON HAND TO ASSIST ZAMBIA IN MANY OTHER INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENTS. THESE INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE COUNTRY’S FIRST EVER ULTRA-MODERN STADIUM, THE LEVY MWANAWAWASA STADIUM IN NDOLA, NAMED AFTER OUR THIRD REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT AND THE STATE-OF-ART NATIONAL HEROES STADIUM IN OUR CAPITAL CITY LUSAKA.
THE TWO STADIUMS ARE A HUGE INVESTMENT WHICH ARE IMPACTING POSITIVELY NOT ONLY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOOTBALL AND OTHER SPORTING ACTIVITIES, BUT ALSO ON JOB CREATION AND THE COUNTRY’S GENERAL ECONOMIC WELL-BEING THROUGH HOSTING OF INTERNATIONAL AND OTHER HIGH LEVEL SOCIAL AND SPORTING EVENTS.
CHAIRPERSON, DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
IN THE MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION SECTOR, ZAMBIA, LIKE OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES AND THE WORLD AT LARGE, HAS EMBARKED ON THE PROCESS TO MIGRATE FROM ANALOGUE TO DIGITAL TELEVISION BROADCASTING AS PRESCRIBED BY THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION, ITU, A UNITED NATIONS AGENCY.
THIS APPEARED LIKE AN INSURMOUNTABLE TASK BUT WE ARE HAPPY THAT WITH FRIENDS LIKE CHINA, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE SO MUCH PROGRESS.
ZAMBIA HAS AND CONTINUES TO LEARN FROM CHINA’S EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE IN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IN MOVING OUR DIGITAL MIGRATION PROCESS FORWARD.
THIS MEETING, GIVES US YET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IDEAS ON HOW BEST OUR MEDIA SECTOR CAN DRAW LESSONS FROM CHINA’S EXPERIENCE IN POLICY AND IDENTIFY SOME OF THE MEASURES THAT CAN BE USEFUL IN OUR SITUATIONS BACK HOME.
CHAIRPERSON, DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT EGDAR CHAGWA LUNGU, RE-AFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH FELLOW AFRICAN STATES IN DEEPENING AND SUSTAINING THE CORDIAL RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND AFRICA.
GIVEN OUR COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT AND IMPORTANCE WE ATTACH TO THE CHINA-AFRICA MEDIA COOPERATION AS A VEHICLE FOR BRIDGING AND BRINGING CHINA AND AFRICA CLOSER, SUCCESS IS ASSURED.
I THANK YOU
(In PICTURE: Mr Huang Kunming Head of Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Central Committee and member pf Politburo (top five leaders of Chinese Government) on Hon Dora Siliya’s right before a special briefing with African ministers and media leaders in Beijing today).
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